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Mrs Charlie Phelps

Overview of thesis

Microbes on the surfaces of macroalgae form a relationship often referred to as the holobiont. This relationship can be mutually beneficial, parasitic and commensalistic. Disturbances can severely impact marine ecosystems and have the potential to alter the holobiont relationship.

Through the use of 16S next generation sequencing techniques, metagenomic analysis and a series of aquaria based studies, I will aim to determine how environmental conditions and disturbance effect the composition of microbial communities on the canopy forming kelp Ecklonia radiata. To do this, I will specifically aim to determine the stability of the microbial community on kelp and the influence of environmental variation on community composition. Then determine the effect of disturbance on the microbial community composition of kelp and to examine the cumulative effect of putative pathogenic microbes, high temperatures and herbivory on kelp.